We met Tran’s mother, Tran Hoang Bich Cam, on a November day after a parent-teacher meeting for her eldest daughter. Cam, born in 1969, became a mother at 38, giving birth to Tran and, a year later, to her son, Le Trieu. Despite her husband’s health issues, including stomach cancer and meningitis, Cam was proud of her hardworking and obedient children.

However, in August 2018, 11-year-old Tran was diagnosed with end-stage chronic kidney failure. Later that year, Trieu was found to have the same condition.

For three years, Tran underwent peritoneal dialysis, requiring monthly visits for treatment. She eventually transitioned to hemodialysis as her health deteriorated, while Trieu managed his condition with medication. By 2021, Tran’s condition had worsened significantly, leaving her frail and reliant on medical interventions.

"My daughter was added to the waiting list for a kidney transplant from a brain-dead donor several times," Cam shared. "But we could only hope and pray, as her health was unpredictable - one moment stable, the next plagued by complications like anemia or high blood pressure."

A miracle call

In January 2023, after Tran turned 16, she began dialysis at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Just a month later, her life changed dramatically.

"On February 25, I received a call from the hospital’s organ transplant unit informing me of a suitable kidney from a brain-dead donor," Cam recounted. "I was so overwhelmed I didn’t even realize I had dropped the lottery tickets I was selling."

Rushing home, Cam took her drowsy daughter - exhausted from that morning’s dialysis - to the hospital. "When my mom told me I was getting a kidney transplant, I barely comprehended it. I woke up two days after the surgery, feeling renewed," Tran recalled with a laugh.

The transplant was transformative. Despite having only completed fifth grade, Tran returned to school as a sixth grader at 17. Her radiant smile speaks volumes about the joy of regaining her health, becoming an inspiration to other kidney failure patients, including her younger brother, Trieu.

Unlike Tran, Trieu was diagnosed at an earlier stage, allowing him to manage his condition for years with medication. However, in December 2023, his health suddenly declined.

"Trieu collapsed during his semester exams and was rushed to the hospital, where he started dialysis immediately," Cam shared. "Now, the three of us remain in the city, with no chance to visit family back home."

While Tran is carefree and optimistic, Trieu is more introspective. He understands the financial and emotional toll on their mother, who works tirelessly to cover monthly medical expenses of at least 8 million VND, alongside rent and living costs.

Trieu has urged his mother to visit their grandmother, but Cam cannot bear to leave her children. "Our lives are tied to the hospital. The only time we go home is to renew referral documents, and even then, we don’t stay long," she explained.

Cam’s face now carries a faint smile - a result of Tran’s successful transplant - but her worry for Trieu remains. "After seeing Tran receive her new kidney, I dare to dream again, this time for my son," she admitted.

For Cam, every day is a battle to keep her children alive and healthy. Her hope for another miracle drives her forward, fueled by an unyielding love for her family.

Khanh Hoa